As the Ghost Driver pointed with his right hand, the coin slot suddenly transformed into a ferocious gaping maw, filled with sharp fangs, and crimson flesh bits could be seen, clacking open and shut non-stop.
"F-finger?"
Several passerby girls' faces turned pale, and the girl in dinosaur pajamas trembled even more, crying out again in fear.
"That's right, fingers, you can use fingers to substitute for Hell Money…" The Ghost Driver's voice was hoarse, and a terrifying smile appeared on his face. "The bus will only wait for three minutes… And only fingers are needed, anyone else's fingers are fine."
Upon hearing this, the faces of several passerby girls changed, and they quietly distanced themselves from others.
If they didn't want to lose a finger, then they would let someone else sacrifice a finger in their place. The problem was no one would agree to such a request, so… they could only turn on each other, sacrificing others to protect themselves.
"Tsk."
In the silence, a tsking sound suddenly broke out.
The roadside players heard the sound and all looked towards Amamiya Natsuki.
Facing the gazes of the unfortunate group, Amamiya Natsuki slowly spoke:
"Actually, there's another way…"
Under everyone's astonished gaze, Amamiya Natsuki stepped onto the bus, then pulled out a blood-stained axe, pointed it at the bus driver, and smiled:
"Robbery."
Everyone: "…"
Amamiya Natsuki had already realized that this scenario had no puzzles and required neither wisdom nor ability, because the Door of Despair only wanted one thing: humanity and despair.
Even if they sacrificed a finger to get on the bus now, they would surely encounter various dangers later, constantly squeezing out humanity's despair.
It was a pity these unfortunate ones were not players of the game; they couldn't see the attribute panel and couldn't even copy skills.
Since that was the case, he could only use an axe to reignite their hope.
"Wait," a passerby player exclaimed in astonishment, "Where did he get that axe from just now?"
Another passerby player was full of doubt: "I don't know… It seemed like from thin air?"
"He thinks he can threaten the Ghost Driver with just one axe? Is that high schooler crazy?"
"What a pity, he's an arrogant fool."
"…"
Sakura quickly walked to Shinomiya Kaguya's side, anxiously saying:
"Tell him to come down quickly! Someone tried attacking ghosts before, it had no effect at all, and then they all got killed."
"Don't worry," Shinomiya Kaguya said softly, "Although we are not from the Supernatural Investigation Bureau, our goal is indeed to end this anomaly… Sakura can just keep watching."
Someone nearby heard Shinomiya Kaguya's words and couldn't help but show a skeptical expression.
These two new people were surprisingly calm and even spoke so arrogantly… Were they fools, or did they truly have something to rely on?
At the same time.
On the bus.
"Heh heh…" The Ghost Driver was stunned for a moment, then a ferocious smile quickly appeared on his face. He stretched out his hands to grab, his fingertips growing rapidly, dark and sharp. "You dare to rob me? Then I can eat you now."
Amamiya Natsuki remained calm, raised the blood-stained fire axe, and chopped down directly.
"It's useless, human weapons won't…"
Before he could finish speaking.
Pfft—
The blood-stained fire axe directly chopped into the Ghost Driver's shoulder.
Dark, foul-smelling blood immediately splattered out.
The Ghost Driver froze for two seconds, the smile on his face vanished, his expression bewildered, and then he screamed.
"Ahhhhhh…!"
The axe was a special weapon produced by the game, with the effect of attacking supernatural entities. No matter if you were a Ghost Driver or a ghost, it would chop you down without fail.
Watching the scene of blood splattering, not only were the passengers on the bus stunned, but the unfortunate players below the platform were also stunned.
It wasn't until the Ghost Driver's scream rang out that everyone suddenly came to their senses.
"W-what's going on?"
"How did that axe cut the Ghost Driver?"
"Someone had tried it before, and nothing could harm ghosts… How could he…"
Amamiya Natsuki stepped on the Ghost Driver's chest, pulled out the axe, blood splattered, and slowly held the axe across the Ghost Driver's neck, then extended his other hand, repeating:
"Robbery, hand over all the Hell Money on you."
The Ghost Driver trembled all over from the pain, looked fearfully at the axe in Amamiya Natsuki's hand, and said quite shrewdly:
"I-I'll give you the money right away…"
"Wouldn't it have been easier to just give me the money earlier? You had to make me chop you." Amamiya Natsuki sighed, "Such a stubborn bone."
Everyone: "…"
Watching the Ghost Driver obediently take out the Hell Money, not daring to say a single harsh word, acting as docile as could be, all the unfortunate individuals below the bus stop finally felt their hearts pound uncontrollably.
This high schooler, who was clearly a newcomer, could actually harm ghosts?
Doesn't that mean…
Among them, Sakura was the most excited, tightly gripping Shinomiya Kaguya's right hand, incoherently saying, "You, you two really can…"
Shinomiya Kaguya said gently:
"I already said it, our goal is to end this anomaly. As for our specific identity, it's not convenient to reveal at the moment."
This time, someone finally began to believe Shinomiya Kaguya's words.
In the cold, rainy night, a faint spark of hope ignited.
The Ghost Driver endured the pain, pulled out a few crumpled banknotes from his pocket, and handed them to Amamiya Natsuki.
Amamiya Natsuki raised an eyebrow and said:
"Only this much money? Are you looking down on me?"
"N-no, there's really nothing left!" The Ghost Driver's body trembled, and he quickly turned his pockets inside out. "I really only have this much money!"
"Tsk, poor ghost." Amamiya Natsuki reached out and took the Hell Money, quickly counted it. There were only six crumpled Hell Money notes in total. Then he said, "How much is the fare?"
The Ghost Driver honestly replied:
"One bill can seat one passenger. Anyone who gets on without a ticket will be killed."
"…"
Upon hearing this, the players at the bus stop all changed their expressions.
Amamiya Natsuki and Shinomiya Kaguya are two people, then there's Sakura, the middle-aged aunt, the girl in dinosaur pajamas, the young man who got on first, the yakuza man with tattoos, the woman in sportswear, and finally a timid, barely noticeable passerby player who hadn't spoken from the beginning—a total of nine people.
But when Amamiya Natsuki counted the money just now, everyone saw clearly that there were only six Hell Money notes obtained from the robbery.
Even if Amamiya Natsuki was willing to give the Hell Money to others, at least three people wouldn't be able to get on the bus.
To ride the bus, they could only let the monster eat one of their fingers. As for trying to emulate Amamiya Natsuki and rob the ghost passengers… no one considered it; they weren't willing to seek death.
So.
What to do?
At this moment, the Hell Money in Amamiya Natsuki's hand was like the legendary ticket to Noah's Ark.
Get the ticket and live.
Don't get it and have a finger eaten by the monster.
How could they get Hell Money from Amamiya Natsuki's hand?
Or rather… why would Amamiya Natsuki give the Hell Money to them and not to someone else?
Just as several roadside players' thoughts were stirring and they were wary of each other, Amamiya Natsuki suddenly sighed:
"Embarrassing, too embarrassing."
"Eh?"
"This is my first time robbing a ghost bus in my life, and I only got six Hell Money notes. It's too embarrassing to even mention." Amamiya Natsuki's expression became serious. He picked up the axe and turned to walk to the back. "No, I need to rob some more."
Everyone: "…"
Not far behind the Ghost Driver sat a woman with black hair covering her face, somewhat resembling Sadako at first glance. However, this ghost passenger's clothes were stained with blood, and her hair was a mess, nowhere near as good as Sadako's hair quality.
Amamiya Natsuki walked up to the female ghost passenger, raised the blood-stained fire axe in his hand, and extended his hand, saying:
"Hey, robbery."
"…"
The female ghost passenger slowly raised her head, looked at the blood-dripping fire axe in Amamiya Natsuki's hand, then at the Ghost Driver clutching his shoulder, and, knowing her place, silently took out two paper bills.
Amamiya Natsuki frowned, "Only this much?"
The female ghost passenger seemed startled, "Th-this is really all I have."
Amamiya Natsuki said, "Next time, bring more money when you go out, understand?"
The female ghost passenger, "S-sorry…"
Amamiya Natsuki took the money from the female ghost passenger's hand, held the axe, and walked to another passenger, extending his hand, saying, "This is a robbery."
This ghost passenger was completely wrapped in bandages, clearly a tough opponent. Faced with the robbery, he said nothing, and the bandages on his body suddenly came alive, coiling around Amamiya Natsuki like venomous snakes, revealing the scorched, reddish-black body underneath.
Pfft—
Amamiya Natsuki chopped down with his axe, directly severing all the bandages, and blood splattered.
The Bandage Ghost immediately wailed, pleading in a panic, "I-I'll give you money, I'll give you money right away!"
Amamiya Natsuki pulled out his axe, bringing out a spray of blood, and grumbled, "Another spineless one."
Everyone, "…"
The two ghost passengers who dared to resist were both chopped down, and the remaining ghost passengers immediately became exceptionally well-behaved. Without waiting for Amamiya Natsuki to approach, they obediently took out their money.
After collecting the money, Amamiya Natsuki returned to the entrance of the bus, checked the time, and saw that there was only one minute left until the bus departed.
"Kaguya."
Amamiya Natsuki took out a Hell Money note and handed it to Kaguya.
Of course, good things were given to Kaguya first; everyone else had to step aside.
"Mm."
Shinomiya Kaguya softly responded, boarded the ghost bus, put the money into the fare box, and obtained Passenger status.
Seeing this, the others looked on eagerly.
Amamiya Natsuki didn't waste words and looked at the woman behind Kaguya, saying gently, "Miss Sakura, your ticket."
"Th-thank you!"
Sakura Rinko thanked him excitedly, quickly boarded the bus and inserted the coin, then let out a long sigh of relief.
It was decided.
Whether he was deceiving her or not, she was definitely clinging to this strong leg!
Immediately after, Amamiya Natsuki took out another Ghost Money and handed it to the middle-aged aunt.
"I've caused you trouble…"
The middle-aged aunt thanked him gratefully and quickly boarded the bus.
The rest of the matter needs no further explanation.
Whether it was the new female player in the dinosaur pajamas or the other veteran players, Amamiya Natsuki treated them all equally, giving them all tickets.
Finally, only the Yakuza man was left alone on the platform, his face filled with despair, not daring to step forward.
Due to the previous conflict, he didn't believe Amamiya Natsuki would give him a ticket, and he might not even have the chance to sacrifice a finger—
Amamiya Natsuki was standing at the bus door; if he got close, he might be kicked again, preventing him from boarding the bus and leaving him to die directly on the platform.
Those unlucky souls who had already boarded the bus looked at the Yakuza man below with complex expressions, but no one dared to intercede, fearing to anger Amamiya Natsuki.
When it came to life and death, protecting oneself was instinct; the safety of others was beyond their power.
After a brief silence, Amamiya Natsuki spoke, "Hey, time is running out… Aren't you getting on?"
The Yakuza man trembled, his eyes wide with disbelief as he looked over, "Wh-what?"
Under the astonished gaze of the others, Amamiya Natsuki handed over the ticket, saying calmly, "Get on."
The Yakuza man felt a sudden pang in his nose, his heart seemingly squeezed by an unseen hand. He quickly ran onto the bus, excitedly saying, "Thank you…"
To be honest, Amamiya Natsuki had considered leaving the Yakuza man at the bus stop, but the thought was fleeting.
There was no need.
Truly, there was no need.
Amamiya Natsuki was not so decisive as to kill someone just for a verbal tease. In school, boys often chatted and gossiped, and the topic, of course, revolved around girls. Amamiya Natsuki occasionally joined in.
Of course, if that Yakuza man had actually touched Kaguya just now, that would have been another matter entirely.
After putting the money into the fare box, the Yakuza man finally relaxed completely, his eyes slightly red with gratitude:
"Big Brother! From now on, you are my Big Brother! I have a younger sister who is in high school, she's very cute and has a great figure… When we go back, I'll let my sister be Big Brother's girlfriend…"
Hey, hey, that's enough!
You're trying to sell out your sister for glory right away. You're not a Yakuza man, you're spineless!
"Sorry, I have a girlfriend." Amamiya Natsuki held Kaguya's right hand and said earnestly, "Quickly find a place to sit. The driver just said that when the vehicle is in motion, you must be seated, otherwise something very terrible will happen."
"I-I understand."
The Yakuza man nodded repeatedly, quickly finding a seat.
The other passerby players looked over with complex expressions.
There was no difficulty, no threat, as if it were just an ordinary distribution of flyers.
Amamiya Natsuki thus gave tickets, representing a chance to survive, to everyone, not even making it difficult for the Yakuza man with whom he had a previous conflict.
These two new high school students… who exactly were they?
Amamiya Natsuki, holding Kaguya's hand, found a row of empty seats and sat down, then called out, "Driver, you can start the bus now."
Ghost Driver, "...Starting right away."
The ghost bus at midnight.
The Ghost Driver, who had turned into a dried corpse.
All sorts of ghost passengers.
Outside the window, there was pouring rain and a pitch-black night, without any light.
No matter how one looked at it, it was a terrifying, oppressive, and despair-inducing nightmare setting.
However, at this moment, as everyone looked at Amamiya Natsuki's back sitting in the very front, a sense of calm suddenly emerged in their hearts…
The bus slowly drove into the rain and mist, moving forward.
The bus quickly quieted down, with only the sound of rain pattering on the roof.
Amamiya Natsuki gently squeezed Kaguya's fingers while softly explaining the reasons for his actions just now.
"Hope?" Shinomiya Kaguya pursed her rosy lips and whispered, "That sounds quite reasonable."
After an unknown amount of time, the bus slowly decelerated and stopped, then the door opened with a 'hiss'.
"We've arrived."
Amamiya Natsuki looked out the window; it was still raining, and two figures could be seen standing at the bus stop.
After the ghost bus came to a complete stop, the two figures silently boarded.
The first passenger was a woman drenched from head to toe, with seaweed still clinging to her hair, as if she had just crawled out of the water, her skin swollen and pale.
The second passenger was a middle-aged man, whose face looked as if it had been rolled over a blade, covered in crisscrossing, terrifying scars.
Undoubtedly, both passengers were not human.
Aside from Amamiya Natsuki and Kaguya, who felt nothing, everyone else held their breath. No one could ride with ghosts without fear.
The woman silently found an empty seat and sat down.
The man, after a slight pause, walked over to the middle-aged aunt, then stopped and looked down at her, remaining silent. His pair of blood-red eyes were extremely oppressive.
The middle-aged aunt's breathing hitched, and she looked at Amamiya Natsuki in a panic, her eyes pleading for help.
Amamiya Natsuki raised an eyebrow slightly and said, "It probably wants your seat."
Upon hearing this, the middle-aged aunt quickly got up and yielded her seat:
"I-I'm up…"
The man with the scarred face silently sat down and then closed his eyes.
The bus became quiet once more.
The Ghost Driver started the vehicle and slowly drove towards the next stop.
However, some quick-witted veteran players had already discovered a second danger besides the tickets—that was the seats.
This ghost bus was an old model, and there weren't many seats, only sixteen in total. There were already nine players, and with the ghost passengers, there was now only one seat left.
For now, there was no problem.
But what about the next stop, when new passengers boarded? How would the seating issue be resolved?
Evil spirits could directly snatch players' seats, so what were the players to do?
Several 'veteran players' pondered seriously; if only they had boarded this ghost bus, there would have been no solution. They would probably have had to snatch other players' seats, with humans slaughtering each other in despair.
But now…
Everyone's gaze fell on Amamiya Natsuki once again.
The ghost bus slowly and leisurely drove for an unknown duration before stopping again.
Everyone looked out the window and saw a blurry figure standing at the bus stop.
"Hoo…"
Seeing only one passenger waiting for the bus, someone quietly let out a sigh of relief.
There was exactly one seat left on the bus, so there would be no danger at this stop.
Tap, tap, tap.
Footsteps slowly echoed.
A Gothic girl in a black Lolita dress stepped onto the bus, holding a small bear and with two golden twin pigtails. At first glance, she was quite cute, but unfortunately, she was still not human, as her cheeks and exposed body were clearly white plastic.
This passenger was, surprisingly, a plastic mannequin.
Thump, thump, thump…
The Gothic girl walked through the carriage and did not go to the empty seat. Instead, she stopped in front of the girl wearing dinosaur pajamas. Her two glass-bead eyes rotated, and then a low voice came out, saying, "Your clothes are very cute… Give them to me…"
"Eh, eh, eh?"
The girl in dinosaur pajamas immediately panicked, nervously clutching her pajamas and shaking her head repeatedly.
She was a true novice player. When the Door of Despair appeared, it was already past one in the morning. She had already been asleep with the air conditioning on and covered by a blanket until a sharp pain in her heart startled her awake. After that, she frantically entered the Door of Despair, and all she had on was a dinosaur pajama, not even panties…
She couldn't take them off!
She absolutely could not take them off!